1
as in theme
a major object of interest or concern (as in a discussion or artistic composition)
the motif of mute figures standing in lonely isolation is a recurrent one in the artist's works
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Recent Examples of motif
The Princess wore a bright aquamarine woollen dress coat with ivory lapels and cuffs by Catherine Walker—a designer favored by Kate Middleton as much as Princess Diana—as well as wide-brimmed matching hat with a sculptural motif by Juliette Botterill.
—
Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 14 June 2025
Expect to see playing card motifs on everything from wall art to pillows, with eerie quotes plucked straight from the pages of Lewis Carroll’s original.
—Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 June 2025
Having borrowed the sand and surf motif from his surfer brother Dennis Wilson — the only surfer among the group — Brian later became inspired, and frustrated, by The Beatles’ evolving sound.
—Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 11 June 2025
The studio also makes beautiful tableware decorated with lemons, flowers, and other motifs that would make a great gift or souvenir.
—Laura Itzkowitz, Travel + Leisure, 10 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for motif
Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 14 June 2025
Expect to see playing card motifs on everything from wall art to pillows, with eerie quotes plucked straight from the pages of Lewis Carroll’s original.
—Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 June 2025
Having borrowed the sand and surf motif from his surfer brother Dennis Wilson — the only surfer among the group — Brian later became inspired, and frustrated, by The Beatles’ evolving sound.
—Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 11 June 2025
The studio also makes beautiful tableware decorated with lemons, flowers, and other motifs that would make a great gift or souvenir.
—Laura Itzkowitz, Travel + Leisure, 10 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for motif
Recent Examples of Synonyms for motif
Noun
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Newcastle has rightly earned great credit for its success rate, but the common theme is all of those players have arrived with risk, liked by bigger clubs but crucially not enough to be poached by one of them.—
Harry De Cosemo,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2025
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The theme of this year's parade is United in Pride.—
Fernando Cervantes Jr,
USA Today,
28 June 2025
Noun
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This pattern could also lead to economic impacts to entire economies when bidding to host major tournaments.—
Claire Poole,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2025
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This pattern of women not having agency over their finances is rooted in history, said financial educator Berna Anat.—
Malia Mendez,
Los Angeles Times,
29 June 2025
Noun
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Rice has been a hot-button topic in Japan, with surging prices and shortages leading to empty shelves in supermarkets across the country.—
Lim Hui Jie,
CNBC,
26 June 2025
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Throughout the hearing, Kobach advocated against the merits of climate public nuisance suits, using previous dismissals as evidence of the lack of feasibility of such claims, a topic which Sen. Cruz also discussed during his questioning.—
David Blackmon,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2025
Noun
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Abercrombie Linen-blend Skimming Shell Top Abercrombie is reinventing classic linen styles with unique silhouettes, like this open-back design.—
Genevieve Cepeda,
Travel + Leisure,
24 June 2025
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The notches in the design harken back to the 2013 season and the Block Knights wordmark seen in the Bounce House end zone.—
Matt Murschel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
24 June 2025
Noun
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Legal Advice Clinic for Veterans: The Seminole County Legal Aid office hosts a free monthly legal advice clinic for veterans to get legal assistance with family law and housing law matters.—
Joe Rassel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
25 June 2025
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The report, citing people familiar with the matter, said a deal was far from certain.—
Spencer Kimball,
CNBC,
25 June 2025
Noun
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The White House did not respond to questions about why the climate report website was taken down, or whether the administration plans to create the next edition of the climate assessment as Congress mandates.—
Rebecca Hersher,
NPR,
1 July 2025
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In his latest book, Is a River Alive?, Macfarlane travels to three very different rivers (in Ecuador, India and Quebec) to examine the question of a river’s sovereignty.—
Brianne Kane,
Scientific American,
1 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Motif.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/motif. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.
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